Near field communication (NFC) enhanced computing systems
View Patent ↗Technologies are disclosed herein for utilizing near field communication (“NFC”) to improve the security, performance, and configuration of computing systems. In particular, NFC can be utilized to power an NFC-equipped server computer on or off, to log directly into an operating system executing on the NFC-equipped server computer, to stream firmware debugging data from an NFC-equipped server computer to an NFC-equipped mobile device, to initiate the update or recovery of firmware, to provide hardware inventory data, or to pair hardware devices. Firmware debugging data can also be streamed from a firmware to an NFC-equipped mobile device. NFC can also be utilized to disable functionality provided by a mobile device while the device is in motion, such as when a user of the mobile device is operating a motor vehicle.
1. A computer-implemented method for using near field communication (NFC) to disable one or more functions of a mobile device, the method comprising:
performing a first operation, by way of the mobile device, to determine whether an NFC tag can be read from an NFC card embedded in a pad a first time;
responsive to determining that the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card in the pad, disabling the one or more functions of the mobile device;
performing a second operation, by way of the mobile device, to determine whether the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card embedded in the pad a second time; and
responsive to determining that the NFC tag cannot be read from the NFC card embedded in the pad the second time,
determining whether the mobile device is in motion,
responsive to determining that the mobile device is not in motion, enabling the one or more functions of the mobile device, and
responsive to determining that the mobile device is in motion, transmitting a message to a remote server computer indicating that the mobile device is in motion but not located on the pad, whereby the remote server computer transmits a second message to a starter interrupt device to cause the starter interrupt device to provide an audible indicator or transmits a third message to the starter interrupt device to disable one or more functions of a motor vehicle.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to determining that the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card in the pad, transmitting a fourth message to the remote server computer indicating that the mobile device is located on the pad, whereby the remote server computer transmits a fifth message to the starter interrupt device to enable operation of the motor vehicle.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to determining that the mobile device is in motion, providing a visual or audible indicator on the mobile device.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein disabling the one or more functions of the mobile device comprises disabling a video screen of the mobile device.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the pad is affixed to the motor vehicle.
6. A mobile device, comprising:
one or more processors;
a near field communication (NFC) reader; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
perform a first operation to determine whether an NFC tag can be read by the NFC reader from an NFC card embedded in a pad a first time;
responsive to determining that the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card in the pad the first time, disable one or more functions of the mobile device;
perform a second operation to determine whether the NFC tag can be read by the NFC reader from the NFC card embedded in the pad a second time; and
responsive to determining that the NFC tag cannot be read from the NFC card embedded in the pad the second time,
determine whether the mobile device is in motion,
responsive to determining that the mobile device is not in motion, enable the one or more functions of the mobile device, and
responsive to determining that the mobile device is in motion, transmit a message to a remote server computer indicating that the mobile device is in motion but not located on the pad, whereby the remote server computer transmits a second message to a starter interrupt device to cause the starter interrupt device to provide an audible indicator or transmits a third message to the starter interrupt device to disable one or more functions of a motor vehicle.
7. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium have further instructions stored thereupon to:
responsive to determining that the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card in the pad, transmit a fourth message to the remote server computer indicating that the mobile device is located on the pad, whereby the remote server computer transmits a fifth message to the starter interrupt device to enable operation of the motor vehicle.
8. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium have further instructions stored thereupon to:
responsive to determining that the mobile device is in motion, provide a visual or audible indicator on the mobile device.
9. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein disabling the one or more functions of the mobile device comprises disabling a video screen of the mobile device.
10. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the pad is affixed to the motor vehicle.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
perform a first operation to determine whether a near field communication (NFC) tag can be read by the NFC reader from an NFC card embedded in a pad a first time;
responsive to determining that the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card in the pad the first time, disable one or more functions of the mobile device;
perform a second operation to determine whether the NFC tag can be read by the NFC reader from the NFC card embedded in the pad a second time; and
responsive to determining that the NFC tag cannot be read from the NFC card embedded in the pad the second time,
determine whether the mobile device is in motion,
responsive to determining that the mobile device is not in motion, enable the one or more functions of the mobile device, and
responsive to determining that the mobile device is in motion, transmit a message to a remote server computer indicating that the mobile device is in motion but not located on the pad, whereby the remote server computer transmits a second message to a starter interrupt device to cause the starter interrupt device to provide an audible indicator or transmits a third message to the starter interrupt device to disable one or more functions of a motor vehicle.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , having further instructions stored thereupon to:
responsive to determining that the NFC tag can be read from the NFC card in the pad, transmit a fourth message to the remote server computer indicating that the mobile device is located on the pad, whereby the remote server computer transmits a fifth message to the starter interrupt device to enable operation of the motor vehicle.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , having further instructions stored thereupon to:
responsive to determining that the mobile device is in motion, provide a visual or audible indicator on the mobile device.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein disabling the one or more functions of the mobile device comprises disabling a video screen of the mobile device.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein disabling the one or more functions of the mobile device comprises disabling a user input device of the mobile device.